


Depths of Love

by savemyunicornclarence



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Courtship, Fluff, Happy Ending, M/M, No Angst, Really is just fluff, Voldemort is not important
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-24
Updated: 2016-11-24
Packaged: 2018-09-01 21:45:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,297
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8639377
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/savemyunicornclarence/pseuds/savemyunicornclarence
Summary: "I've heard it saidThat people come into our lives for a reasonBringing something we must learnAnd we are ledTo those who help us most to growIf we let themAnd we help them in return...But because I knew youI have been changed for good."Lyrics from Wicked - For Good





	

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I do not own Wicked. 
> 
> This will just be a one-shot. 
> 
> It has not been beta-ed. I've given it a cursory glance, but it is 1 am right now ... if you find any grammar errors or holes, then please leave a comment! I would really appreciate it.

Severus crawled underneath the Unicorns Tapestry. He gave them a quick smile, for they liked such frivolous actions. He didn’t mind, because they guarded him from everyone else, and that was what he needed. He shuffled forward in the dark, not daring to light a lumos. He did not know why there was such an opening, but there was, and it was his haven. 

He stood up, stretching his muscles. There was this room he discovered on the seventh floor, where he got everything he needed. He shrunk carpets, blankets, and pillows to make the room comfy and cozy. Despite what those blasted Marauders said, he did enjoy comfortable things. He only could have them during the school year, so he savored every moment for the warmth. He shook his head free of those thoughts. This was his haven, and he wasn’t going to poison it by thoughts of the Marauders. 

He could truly relax today. He finished today’s and the weekend’ homework, and now he could read. He curled up, throwing a blanket over his legs, and grabbed a book. That was another benefit of that room on the seventh floor. It gave him books about all sorts of things. 

_Healing Potions, Their Uses, and Where to Find Them_ by Patricia Hong was an interesting read. It went into all sorts of healing potions. The book was divided into the general healing use, like bones or the mind, and then was further divided into sections based on the magical plants and the geography. Utterly fascinating, and he poured through it with a quill ready.

He hummed contently with his legs slowly swinging in the air and a pink tongue poking in between lips. Surrounded by fluffy blankets and pillows, he was a picture of contentment.

~~~

The cacophony of noises assaulted his ears after hours of the sound of the quill to parchment for company. He rubbed his sensitive ears before entering the Great Hall. He quickly shuffled to the Slytherin table. 

He let out a sigh of relief, when the Marauders ignored him. He quickly glanced over. They were too busy eating. Figures. 

“Ah, Severus, a package has been waiting for you.”

He paused in getting some soup. He grabbed at the letter and small box. It was gift wrapped beautifully with cream wrapping paper and a deep black ribbon. He stroked it and marveled at the softness. He retracted his hands with a blush when he saw his classmates glancing at him with weird stares. He huffed quietly. It wasn’t his fault that he didn’t have a lot of presents growing up. Lips turned down at the corners. Silence descended over the Great Hall. He shifted in his seat. 

“Do you realize what that is?” Evan Rosier hissed to him. He shook his head. 

“It’s a courtship request!”

Severus almost dropped the letter into his food, “What?”

“Well, read it!” Evan’s eyes glowed with interest. 

Who would want someone like me? Severus wondered. He was poor and ugly and worthless. It must be a trick. The Marauders probably. But a tiny voice in the back of his head protested. Not even for a prank, a twisted, perverse enjoyment out of humiliating Snivellus, would the Marauders buy such richness. The elaborate thoughtfulness in it gave him enough reason to believe it was a genuine courtship offer.

He shoved the letter and the gift into his satchel. 

“Aren’t you going to read it?”

He scowled. “No, it is private.”

He ignored the outraged mutters. Who were they to be outraged? They weren’t friends. They had no right to know what was in the letter or the gift.

~~~

He spelled the curtains shut. This was not his haven, but it was close enough. He crossed his legs and dug out the letter and the gift. They winked like jewels under the light of his spell. He stroked the softness of everything, and he wanted to keep everything perfect. Once he opened it, it would lose its mystery and beauty. Curiosity burned in his chest, though. It coiled and pounced on him with such a ferocity. He couldn’t deny it. 

He unrolled the parchment to find a second one. It was labelled to be read after. He put it besides the gift, forgotten for a moment.

_Dear Severus,  
I hope this letter arrives to you promptly and in good health. How are your studies? The NEWTs are difficult, but I have every confidence that you will pass them. My brilliant Raven, you must be astonished by this letter. By the gift. However, my intentions are pure. My mind well. (I know you, my raven, and this is not a prank. I can’t express this enough, but my heart trembles at the very image that you will burn this. It contains no alloys of maliciousness or gleeful torment, this I swear. I run like a pure river untouched except by you (in the future, my Raven). _

Severus jerked back at the suggestion. His cheeks heated, and his mouth was dry. With wide eyes, he gazed at the letter. He couldn’t believe it. The world had gone pear-shaped. There was no question about it. This was a Pureblood, or an enormously rich Halfblood. He tried to grasp at who it was (he peeked at the end of the letter, but it was initialed). The courter had to have attended Hogwarts while he was a student, otherwise how would he know him? How would he have known he would have suspected a prank? He entertained the idea that it was a woman but dismissed it. It couldn’t be, for it had a distinctly masculine resonance. He hoped. He was not interested in women, and he would be very embarrassed to reject the courter if it was a woman.

_I have hopefully caught your attention and convinced you I am truthful. My breath is stolen at this moment, for I am overjoyed yet also intensely anxious. I talk and talk to push this moment of happiness further and further away from me. Can you tell that I am nervous? I am so nervous that you burned this letter, that you will reject me, that you will laugh at me. Usually, I would have no worries, for who would even entertain the idea of refusing me? But with you, my Severus (I can call you that?), look deeper than the surface. You plunge yourself wholeheartedly into anything you are passionate about. It is one thing I love about you._

Love? Severus squeaked and dared to continue further.

_I hold my breath, for you are holding it in your hands now. I place everything in you. My love, my happiness, my future, my money._  
Will you give me the honor of your hand?  
Oh! The words are stained with tears, for nerves are giving me great pains in this letter. This has never happened before. My hands are shaking. 

The elegant script did appear like they were quivering, Severus mused, when he brought the letter closer. 

_Will you give me supreme happiness in allowing me the greatest joy of courting you?_  
I await your reply, ever so impatiently,  
L  
P.S. There is a falcon in the Owlery awaiting for your letter.  
P.P.S As well, whether a yes or no, keep my gift. It is merely a small token of my affections towards you. 

This suitor was generous. Usually, with a rejection, the gift was sent back with the letter. He blushed heavily, for he knew that he would not reject him. He couldn’t. In the back of his mind, he thought of the practical reasons to accept the suitor. 

He was rich. He would be well taken care of, and even if he did not truly love him, the courter would love him. The power was unequal, but in the deepest pits of his heart, he would not want to live like that. He supposed, with great grudging, he admitted to himself at the very least that he was a bit of a romantic. 

This time he pulled the gift towards him. It was altogether unassuming, even when it was hidden behind expensive wrapping paper. 

The ribbon unraveled at the soft touch of his finger. It then shimmered before his eyes into an onyx bracelet. He put it on, his fingers skimming over the runes.

He remembered the second letter and unrolled it. 

_If you are opening this, then you have read the first letter.  
You are making me a very happy man-_

He sagged in relief. 

_-and you are not even in my arms! Thank you, Severus, my sweet Raven, for giving me a thought that I will be in your future. It reassures me._  
Alas, I am afraid I can ramble, so I will try to focus on the purpose of this letter.  
Did you like the little magic? The ribbon was spelled to transform into a bracelet at your touch. It took me a lot of researching to find this little gem, and I hope you like it. The onyx reminds me of your eyes, the very eyes I can lose myself into. Ah, there I go again!

Severus laughed quietly at the antics of this L. 

_Well, don’t continue to read! Open the gift!_

Severus obeyed the soft admonishment in the letter. He gasped when the box grew! An overwhelming desire to squeal overtook him, but he ruthlessly shoved it down. He might be in the traditional position of the ‘woman,’ but that did not mean he would act like it.

He opened the lid of the box. He frowned. The box was smaller on the inside than the outside! He shook his head. Even after seven years in the Wizarding World, he was still bewildered at what magic can do. 

It was beautiful. It was simple, something he would like if he could have afforded such frivolous objects. A silver chain ended at a sapphire. The sapphire winked underneath the glow of the light. 

_I thought you would be tired of green, even though emeralds are beautiful, but after seven years of being surrounded by the color … well, even the mention of it makes you cringe a little. Besides, I always thought you would look astonishing in blue. It is a deep blue, said to be the heart of the ocean on its good day and then the luminous depths of the night sky on its even better days. The necklace is charmed against any and all possible explosions in the lab. The chain was made by the Goblins, and each link of the chain has protection and defensive runes on them. As well as the runes of good health, good life, and good happiness, as the Goblins say. I want to protect you. I will protect you._  
There are more things to be revealed. 

Severus couldn’t believe the thoughtfulness of L. He smiled, feeling his heart pump. He went to the gift at the urging of the letter. The top box melted away, revealing another box. It was like those Russian dolls he had admired all those years ago, when his mother brought him to a street fair in London. 

It was an even smaller box than the first. He opened it. It was a slim card, slightly smaller than Muggle debit cards. 

_I have noticed, much to your lamentations I imagine, that you are lacking in your wardrobe department. I wince at the harshness of the words, but there is no other way to say it. I am sorry that I offend you.  
The card has 5,000 Galleons on it. Buy whatever you need at Madame Malkins. Just mention ‘L’ and the shop assistant should know, if not then get Madame Malkins herself. She or the shop assistant can assist you. _

Severus grimaced at the thought. He knew his clothes were ugly and an embarrassment to all the Slytherins. He guessed he would listen to the urgings of L. 

_That is not all, my Raven. There are two more gifts._

Merlin’s beard, L was serious about this courtship. It was usually one gift, pertaining to the one being courted to show the thoughtfulness of the courter. But this … it meant L was serious. He was being courted. He, Severus Snape, the very guy that everyone hurled insults at. He, ugly Snivellus Snape was destined to die alone. He was going to prove everyone wrong! He was going to be happy and loved and love. 

The box became another box, and he peeked in. He stroked the soft brown leather. It was a potions journal that all Potion Masters, at least the serious ones possessed, for the journal was protected against spills and damages. 

He trembled when he peeked beneath it. He couldn’t contain the squeal of happiness this time. This gift, more like gifts, ranged from common potion ingredients to rare and expensive ingredients. 

_Do you like it? I am grinning at the thought of you reaching my final gift. The jewelry and card for clothing are one thing, but you go beyond materialistic goods. I want you to use those ingredients for good use, and I know you will. Potion Masters never waste any free ingredients._

Severus laughed. He rubbed away the tears (when did he start?) 

_I probably went overboard with the gifts, but propriety calls for courtships to begin, at the earliest, in Seventh Year or the equivalent thereof. I hope you see that I am serious about you and me and our potential future together._  
This is all for now.  
Once again, I await your reply eagerly,  
L

Severus carefully lifted his hair. “Wingardium Leviosa,” he whispered. The necklace floated in the air, and he revolved it so the pendant nestled against the hollow of his neck. He flicked his wand, and the necklace cinched softly around his neck. He shivered at the coolness, but it slowly heated under his body heat. He conjured a mirror. 

His pale skin seemed to glow in the spell light. His black hair fell past his shoulders, framing his face like a silken waterfall. The sapphire casted blues across his chest and shoulders, and the deep blues highlighted the blackness of his eyes. It bewildered him the difference a necklace could make. 

He looked happy. 

~~~

Everyone glanced at him. He hugged his satchel to his chest self-consciously. Their gazes were not malicious, for the most part. They were curious and bewildered. The Marauders glared at him. Their whispered taunts glided past his hears. Surprisingly, it was Sirius Black that stopped Potter and the fat one. 

Black nodded at him once. As a Pureblood, he must know what a courtship entailed. Severus nodded back at him. It was a shaky truce between them, but Severus was glad for it. He could now focus on the NEWTS and L. 

He sent out the letter with the falcon. It was an ardent, “Yes!” How could he not? The gifts and the letters showed him that L was serious. 

Everything was perfect. He studied hard, but he also made sure that he had the free time to write a letter every few days to L. They were about benign things. Their favorite colors, where they wanted to visit, what they imagined in the future, many discussions of various books they have read. He was more than content. It was not like before, where he sequestered himself in his haven with his books and notes. Now, he was able talked to more of his classmates. It was too late to make friends, but they were able to have lively debates over the best techniques to cut the roots of willow (which he won) or the best shields in defense. 

He was happy. 

For the first time in his short life, he had more-than-acquaintances-less-than-friends, a potential husband (more than potential, in his mind), and a future beyond the walls of Hogwarts. Did he forget to mention that he was beyond happy? 

~~~

_My Sweet Raven,  
I believe, after weeks of back and forth through letters, it is time to meet face to face. My parents will be there, but we will still have our privacy. When is the next Hogsmeade weekend? I can meet you at Carmella’s Cafe. It is not like Madame Puddifoot's, thank Merlin. It is elegant and not overwhelmingly populated by other lust-driven students. _

Severus chuckled. L knew him well. He avoided that place like it was the Black Plague. 

_Be swift my black bird. I am, as always, eagerly awaiting your reply. I enjoy them immensely, have I ever told you that? You are intelligent, and I prize that above everything. You argue your point well, and you are able back it with evidence. Not everyone is able to do that._

Severus’ cheeks heated. It sounded like L was a sapiosexual. He never knew anyone like that, for everyone at Hogwarts, lusted after people like … Potter and Black, he admitted reluctantly. 

_I will tell you more, a plethora of sweet affections, every day. I imagine every day there will be something more, a quirk, a habit, that will make me fall in love with you more._  
Affectionately and lovingly from afar,  
L

Severus cast a spell over the letter, preserving it. He did it with every letter and saved them in a small compartment in his trunk. Was it sappy of him? Was he like those swooning maidens waiting for their prince charming to ride them off into the sunset? Well, there was always beyond the sunset. It was all arbitrary, and he did not care. 

~~~

Evan clapped him on his back, “Going on a date, Severus?”

He hummed, “Yes, L thinks it is time to meet face to face.”

“Where are you going?”

“Carmella’s Cafe.”

Evan nodded, “CC’s is a far better alternative for purebloods. It is a demure place, don’t you think?”

“I hope so. I detest all the pink and saccharine beverages and pastries!” He mocked gag, and Evan laughed. 

“I agree. I brought my fiance to CC’s, and she loved it.”

Severus couldn’t contain his curiosity, “Fiance?”

Evan grinned, “Lucille Finch. She is a beauty hailing from Beauxbatons and intelligent.”

He leaned forward to peek at the picture Evan held out. A woman gazed out with eyes that held a mischievous spark. Her lips twitched, as she held back a smile. Black hair was twisted into a tasteful style. 

“She is beautiful.”

“And the sweetest girl I have ever known.”

“I’m happy for you, Evan.”

Evan beamed and whistled, as he sauntered out. “See you after your date?”

“Yeah! Rippling Pages?”

“Sure!”

Severus patted down his robe. It was a new one, that he got a few weeks ago. It was a deep shade of blue that almost matched the sapphire of his necklace. He tugged at the tight sleeves, until the cuff slid slightly over his palms. It flared out at the waist, making it easy to walk around in. 

He exited his room and the dungeons. His heart thumped, ramming against his ribs. His palms sweated. He wiped at his forehead. He was very nervous. The nerves made him jittery, and he practically ran out of Hogwarts. After months - months - he was meeting L.

He breathed in deeply through his nose then letting it rush out of his mouth. The air was warm, calling for a sweater or a long sleeve robe. There was a sweet scent in the air from the blooming trees and flowers. The sunshine was brilliant, making the first through third years emerging from the indoors. Their joyous laughter joined the songs of the birds. 

Carmella’s Cafe appeared around the corner. Its seating area was fenced off with an iron wrought fence. Jasmine flowers wound around the fence. There were quiet murmurs, giving an atmosphere of courtesy and restraint. 

He approached the hostess, swallowing his spit, “I am here for a meeting for two.”

“Ah, yes,” she smiled, “follow me.” 

She led me to a corner in the sunshine. He sat down with a pleasant quirk of the lips. It was warm. He closed his eyes, tapping his fingers against the small, round, iron table. He imagined this was what a French cafe would look like. 

“Severus, you look stunning,” a deep voice said. 

He stood up, the chair screeching. He winced at the sound and held out his hand, “Thank you,” he bowed, “sir.”

“No need to call me sir, Severus, Lucius will be fine.”

Severus flushed, “Okay, Lucius.”

“Did you know it was me?”

Severus shook his head, “No. I might have suspected it, but I dismissed it quickly for it was inconceivable that Lucius Malfoy, would want me, Severus Snape.”

“Who wouldn’t want you? You are handsome, intelligent, humorous, talented, and many other things.”

“You surely jest.”

“Even after all those letters, you still doubt?”

Severus shrugged slightly, sipping at the cool, mint water. “It is hard not to,” he whispered. 

Lucius’ finger warmed his chin, as he tilted his head up. Black eyes met silver eyes with a shock. “Severus, there is one thing I wish that you would have. Do you know what it is?”

“No.”

“Confidence. For you to hold your head high, eyes straight, and your shoulders back. If you are beautiful now, then you will be absolutely exquisite then.” 

Severus’ cheeks burned red, and he was sure that he would be permanently red around Lucius. 

“It is true, my black bird.” Severus shifted in his chair. “If I have to, every day I will tell you that you are beautiful.” Warm hands clasp around his own, thin ones. 

Severus looked down at their hands, and he smiled softly. Black eyes roved over a handsome face. Lucius Malfoy was from a Greek statue. The elegant eyebrows, high cheekbones, full lips, but that was all aesthetics. He was truly seraphic, because he was alive. The quicksilver eyes sparkled, long, blonde hair that fell into his face every so often, and the sated grin that spread across his lips. 

Lucius realized that he made Severus uncomfortable. “Well, if you don’t mind, I took the liberty of ordering beforehand. There is an excellent, tangy salad, and then soup and sandwiches.”

“How quaint,” Severus smirked, “but I’m sure it will be delicious.”

“Sometimes it is nice to take a break from rich food.”

Severus murmured an agreement. “You said in the letter, that your parents will be here?”

“Yes, they’re over there,” Lucius gestured over Severus’ shoulder. He glanced behind him, taking in a quietly talking couple.

Bright eyes met him, and he smiled back shakily. “They won’t bite, Severus.”

He gulped down some water. “I’m sure they’re lovely people.”

Lucius laughed, “I can introduce you after our lunch.”

“That will be fine.” Severus rubbed his eyes with a slight yawn.

“Are you tired?”

“Yes, NEWTs studying is consuming.”

“Ah, then should we temporarily stop our writings? I’m sure that they are time consuming. You should sleep more. It is not healthy.”

Severus chuckled, “I will, but after NEWTs,” his black eyes flickered to him. “I need to get O’s.”

Lucius frowned, “That’s not healthy. Is it worth doing something detrimental to your body in order to get O’s?” Lucius’ voice was incredulous. Severus shrugged slightly.

“Don’t worry, Lucy, I know what I am doing.”

“Lucy?” Lucius echoed. He abandoned his interrogation for now. 

“You call me ‘Raven’ or ‘blackbird.’ It is only fair that I reciprocate the nicknames.”

Lucius smiled. “I suppose so.” 

The food appeared, and Severus smiled. “I love magic.”

Lucius’ brows wrinkled, “I do too.” His tone was slightly confused.

“It is amazing, Lucius. You don’t see the wonder of it, because you were surrounded by it from birth. For me, I knew of it, yet I did see it before I was eleven years old. Now, I can’t imagine my life without it.” Severus paused, looking at Lucius’ silver eyes. “Magic is capable of so many things, and yet for both wizards and Muggles the limits are the same.”

“Limits?”

“There are laws that magic is incapable of surpassing, or there are horrible consequences because of it. For example, magic cannot bring back the dead. There are the inferi, but those are not humans. They are a perversion of human life.”

Lucius narrowed his eyes. “I suppose, but there are laws that we can overcome. The law of gravity.”

“True! It is utterly fascinating! In elementary school, we learned that gravity is a fundamental law. 9.80 meters per second squared. Gravity acts upon everything, and the reason why we don’t go straight to the center of the earth is because of a force pushing back up at us - the normal force.”

“Interesting, and all these muggles discovered this?”

“Yes, it has been centuries, you know. Like for a time, we believed the galaxy was geocentric.” Severus snorted, “It shows the hubris of mankind. Humanity being the center of the universe; utterly foolish-”

“You are only able to say that, because you have centuries of knowledge. Those muggles had the intelligence to discover new ideas! They had only their observations and, I assume, crude theories.”

“I concede your point, Lucius, for it is very true. It is amazing what they have done. It is why I love potions, and not the more magical branches. Potions is mainly theories, and then putting those theories into actions. The more advanced, archaic studies of potions intertwine magical theory with the practical science of potions, and it is fascinating!” Severus waved his hand, “See what you have done? You have caused me to speak in tangents!” Lucius laughed, his silver eyes crinkling at the corners. 

Severus grinned at him. “Anyways, during the seventeenth century, Copernicus presented the idea of a heliocentric universe, but Galileo died for it. The Catholic Church condemned Galileo for believing in this heresy, which has been proven true, since it went against their faith.”

“And why was Copernicus not condemned for this idea?”

“Ah, I believe he died soon after his publications, and he was quite Slytherin for a Muggle, for he phrased it in such a way that he could defend himself from this idea.”

Lucius rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “How interesting, and what is this subject called?”

“There is science, but science is split into many subsections, like biology, geology, physics, chemistry, and those are split into further subsections, like organic chemistry, astrophysics, biophysics, entomology, mammalogy, and many more.”

Lucius looked thoughtful. “There must be a way to incorporate such findings into magic.”

“There is. It is what I do for potions. It is why that no one understands my notes, because I connect it to chemistry most often. In the Wizarding World, no one passed eleven, if they ever had this kind of education, know of science, grammar, and even mathematics.”

“There must be a way to reform the education system.”

“Oh, I believe there is, but there is great opposition to mixing the world. It is either one or the other, but I believe, that there is great risk in isolating the worlds from the other. There are benefits in each, but we must also preserve the traditions of each world. Theoretically, the worlds should coexist. There are Muggleborns, and then there are wizards and witches that retreat to the wizarding world.”

Lucius thought for a second, before hesitatingly asking, “Have you heard of the man that is defending the purebloods, saying that there should be no muggles or even muggleborns at all?”

“Psh,” Severus shook his head. “Him? He will disappear in due time. I am a halfblood. Will he prosecute me, because I have muggle blood in me? I could speak of genetics, but at a later date, when you are more educated.” Lucius nodded at Severus with a grin. Then they could have their own debates, for it was more fun with a knowledgeable person than one that did not know anything. 

“Besides, I heard he was a halfblood.”

“A halfblood?

“Yeah, funny, isn’t it? A pureblood mother of an old line, can’t remember who it is, but the family was dying, then there was the muggle father.”

“Who is he to fight for purebloods, when he himself is not one?”

“He might have an agenda against muggles. There are some muggles that abhor all things magical. They want to put it down, for magic is superior in a lot of ways. They need to feel powerful, so they sometimes react violently.”

It seemed, to Lucius, that Severus had his own experience with such reactions. He would leave that talk for a later date. However his interest was roused by this science talk. The muggles must have explanations for the world, and the why’s, and the how’s. 

“Oh, I was supposed to meet Evan at Rippling Pages!” Severus stood up. 

Lucius cast tempus. “It’s late, my blackbird. I’ll walk you to Hogwarts’ gates. I’m sure your friend left, as the sun will set soon.”

“If it is no trouble for you.” Severus felt a little bad for abandoning Evan, but he would understand.

“I’ll just bid my parents goodbye, then we can go.”

Lucius rushed over to his parents and gave them a kiss and a handshake. He walked back with a grin on his face. “They said that you will have to meet them in the future some other time.”

“Okay.”

Severus accepted the offered arm, and he nestled close to Lucius. Despite the growing warmth in the air, he crept closer to the tall wizard. It still astonished him that Lucius Malfoy wanted him. It made his insides tingle, and his heart quicken, as if Lucius was the one that held his heart. It was him that made it beat faster and faster, till he felt like he was going to explode. 

“Sickle for your thoughts?”

“N-nothing?”

An arched brow was his reply. 

“Really, just thinking how happy I am.”

“You call your happiness nothing?”

Severus shook his head, “Before, I was merely content, and even then it was tenuous. I was not well-liked because of various reasons,” Severus trailed off. “I was very unhappy. I was on a path where I was susceptible to anyone that would give me attention.”

“Is that why you accepted this courtship?”

“Attention in a negative way. I too heard of that man you mentioned earlier. I did research on him, and his duplicity was apparent. Then you came,” Severus continued, “and you changed my life.” He stopped walking to look up at Lucius. “You changed it for the better.”

Severus stood on his tip-toes, cheeks and ears burning, as he closed his eyes. Lucius faltered, feeling that overwhelming nervousness drown him. Then soft lips met soft lips, and the world was right again. It was a chaste kiss, but it sent sparks fluttering down Lucius’ spine. The kiss was fire itself, burning between them. Severus dropped down and buried his head in the broad chest. That was his first kiss, and it was perfect. 

“I accept.”

“What?”

“I accept you.” Strong arms tightened around him. 

Lucius gaped at him. “Oh, sweet Merlin, Severus!” He abandoned pureblood proprietary and whirled Severus around. Happiness exploded inside of him. “You just made me the happiest man in the world! I will make you the happiest man, I promise.”

Severus laughed, “I’ll hold you to that promise, Lucy.”

Lucius hid his face in the dark hair, letting it hide his tears. 

“I love you.”

“I know,” Severus tightened his hug. He couldn’t say the words yet. This feeling was so new, and it had so many levels and depths that he discovered every day. This love could go on forever, and he could possibly never see the end of it. Their love could go on forever, and he was willing to discover the depths of their love.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you guys liked it. I wanted to write something complete for once, and I am struggling with writing lately. Please review and leave kudos! I just googled Copernicus and Galileo, so correct me if I got some information things wrong, for it has been quite a while since I learned that. The physics came from things I learned in physics class, but if that information is wrong as well, then please correct me! 
> 
> I am sorry also that not all the letters are in italics, but I am getting frustrated with it, and I am tired. So I will leave it be, until I feel like fixing it.
> 
> Happy Thanksgiving!


End file.
